St. Patrick's party: Organized chaos

Journal Register News Service photo by John Strickler
Waitresses Steph Schegel, Jazz Unruh and Noel Giessler were dancing along with the music while taking customers orders during the St. Patrick’s Day celebration at Molly Maguire’s.

PHOENIXVILLE — For Neil Bonner, Sunday was one of his longest days of the year.

“I’ve been here since 3 o’clock in the morning,” he said early in the afternoon.

Bonner, general manager of Molly Maguire’s in Phoenixville, didn’t figure on leaving before the official close at 2 a.m. Monday.

Bars all across the area took an all-hands-on-deck approach to St. Patrick’s Day.

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At Molly Maguire’s, green-clad patrons of every age piled in a steady stream through the door to celebrate with friends and family in the bar.

“Every person that works here or has ever worked her is on today,” Bonner said laughing.

He even said some friends were helping out.

Patrons lined up outside the door as early as 8:30 a.m. Sunday.

“I was upstairs and looked out and thought: Oh man,” Bonner said.

Several hundred patrons crammed into the bar, singing along with the band on stage, Funzaluv, or sitting in a booth with family members while hollering small-talk back and forth.

“It’s always our biggest day of the year,” Bonner said. “Last night was crazy, but we expect this to be bigger.”

Two of those working for Bonner, both appropriately named Kelly, agreed.

“There was a lot of people last night,” said the Kelly with brown hair. “But this one, you can just see the crowd.”

The Kellys worked from inside a structure within the bar designed to look like a newsstand. Essentially, the pair ran an outpost for beer away from the crush around the central bar areas.

According to Bonner, he stocked 40 kegs of Guinness, 30 kegs of other beer and 200 more cases of beer for the weekend.

“If I could bring you downstairs I’d show you, I don’t have room in my coolers for everything,” Bonner said.

Although many of those trying to serve the masses their drinks or food appeared harried at points, a smile wasn’t far from their lips.

“It’s definitely really fun because it’s chaotic,” the Kelly with blonde hair shouted over the music from the stage behind her station.

“Chaos” was a word used in the nicest terms Sunday.

“I like to call it organized chaos,” said Bonner, gesturing around him.

Chaotic or not, the mood in the bar was definitely upbeat.

Music from Funzaluv switched from Irish folk to decidedly un-Irish tunes such as Paul Simon’s “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard” and Taio Cruz’s “Dynamite.” Groups with green caps of every description raised green mugs or just their hands as they danced and sang along.

In the line stretching from the bathroom, children waiting with their mothers bobbed their heads along to the music as they waited.

Cindi Trombley said she’d been going to Molly Maguire’s for four years now to celebrate the holiday.

“Everybody is so awesome. Everybody is so nice,” she said. “This is the one day of the year where everybody is so incredibly nice and having a good time.”

“Just look at everyone,” Bonner said. “These people are having fun. That’s why I’m in this.”

As much fun as the day may be for those working in bars and pubs on St. Patrick’s Day, it’s exhausting as well. And it just doesn’t end at bar time.

“I’ve got to be back here at 6 a.m. tomorrow,” Bonner said, laughing. “We do inventory on Monday.”